Member States Agree on the European Driving
Licence

Today the Council of Ministers reached a political agreement on a
European Commission proposal from 2003 regarding a European driving licence
(COM(2003)621 – IP/03/1435).
Common European rules will facilitate the free movement of EU drivers, prevent
fraud when driving licences are used as identification documents and improve
road safety, particularly where motorcycles are concerned. A single model in
credit card format will replace the more than 110 different models currently in
circulation.

Vice-President Barrot welcomed the agreement saying “The European
driving licence is of vital importance for road safety and for the fight against
fraud. It will make travel around Europe easier and without bureaucratic
difficulties. All drivers will have clear, modern licences that will be
accepted in all Member States – I am pleased the Council succeeded in
reaching this agreement”.

The new driving licence will ensure improved road safety through better
definitions of the scope of application of the different driving licence
categories. It will make clear exactly who is entitled to drive what. It
provides for the introduction of a licence for mopeds and establishes the
principle of progressive access to bigger and more powerful motorcycles. Direct
access to the latter category will only be possible at the age of 24 after a
theoretical and practical test. People who want to ride the most powerful
motorcycles before that age will need to gain two years experience on lighter
types. The new rules also set minimum standards for driving examiners.

The new legislation represents an important step towards combating fraud
involving driving licences and the phenomenon of “driving licence
tourism”[1]. Member
States will strengthen their cooperation in order to prevent temporarily banned
drivers from obtaining a new driving licence in another Member State. An EU
wide-network for data-exchange of driving licenses needs also to be established
for this purpose.

A single new driving licence model in credit card format with reinforced
security features will be introduced, whereas the 110 different models still in
circulation will be gradually phased out. After the entry into force of the
directive, Member States will have 26 years at their disposal to replace the
existing driving licences. Specific provisions have been agreed upon to ensure
that every existing entitlement to drive a specific vehicle will continue to
benefit from mutual recognition.

The new directive will leave Member States free to introduce a microchip or
not on the new model. Whatever option they chose Member States must respect EU
data protection rules.

In future, the validity of driving licenses will be limited. The new rules
foresee a 10 year validity period for licenses, which Member States may raise to
15 years. Member States are free to organise medical examinations at the time of
administrative renewal.

Following the political agreement of today, the formal adoption of the
Directive by the European Parliament will be effective later this year in a
second reading. Thus the Directive will enter into force by the end of 2006 and
therefore be applicable at the latest at the end of 2012.

[1] This term describes the
following phenomenon: citizens, who had to hand in their driving license to the
authorities of their home state after a serious offence, obtain a new driving
license in another Member State, which has then to be recognised also in their
home state.